Senator Hassan, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Strengthen Law Enforcement Efforts to Target Cyber Crimes

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) joined Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) in introducing a bipartisan bill to reauthorize the National Computer Forensics Institute (NCFI), which provides critical cyber defense training to state and local law enforcement agencies. The National Computer Forensics Institute Reauthorization Act of 2022 builds on the Strengthening State and Local Cyber Crime Fighting Act of 2017, which established the NCFI.

“With many crimes these days involving computers and smartphones, we need to equip law enforcement with more training and tools to go after cybercriminals,” said Senator Hassan. “Supporting our law enforcement’s ability to catch cybercriminals is something that my colleagues on both side of the aisle can agree on, and I urge them to support this bipartisan bill.”

The NCFI has trained law enforcement officers, prosecutors and judges from more than 2,000 state and local agencies across the United States, including 100 officers from New Hampshire since 2008.

Senator Hassan is leading bipartisan efforts to strengthen cybersecurity at every level of government. Senator Hassan successfully secured her bipartisan amendment in the most recent annual defense bill to ensure that the National Guard can help state and local governments and businesses improve their cybersecurity. In addition, Senator Hassan worked to pass into law her measure to create a Cybersecurity Coordinator in every state to help federal, state, and local governments, as well as schools, hospitals, and other entities, coordinate and better protect their systems against cyberattacks. Senator Hassan also helped secure a measure in the bipartisan infrastructure law to create and fund a state and local cybersecurity grant program.

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